UPMC for Life Offering New Benefits for 2014

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- UPMC for Life – the Medicare Advantage product of UPMC Health Plan – is offering four unique HMO plans in 2014, each designed to meet the specific needs of Medicare-eligible consumers at precisely a time when many of those consumers are looking to improve their coverage.

Each year during the Medicare Open Enrollment period, about one-third of Medicare members in western Pennsylvania – or more than 145,000 members – look at different plans to see if they can improve their benefits, save money, and gain greater access to quality care. It is estimated that about one-fourth of all Medicare members in this region – roughly 36,000 – will ultimately change plans.

Once again this year, UPMC Health Plan is an attractive alternative to people looking to change because its wide range of offerings for 2014 includes plans that feature an unlimited fitness network, a $5 copay for primary care physician visits, and a $0 premium HMO plan.

Regardless of the plan they choose, all UPMC for Life members can receive medical care at any UPMC facility, plus additional community hospitals. UPMC for Life's Medicare Advantage network includes over 9,000 doctors and 74 hospitals in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Any provider in its network can be seen without a referral.

UPMC for Life has a four-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, the Federal agency that oversees Medicare.

In addition, UPMC for Life members now have a new fitness benefit called Fit for Life. Under this benefit, members can join any gym or fitness facility they choose and they will be reimbursed for a portion of their membership, up to the annual reimbursement limit for the plan they select.

"UPMC for Life is the right choice because our network includes the top-ranked hospitals, our health plans are of the highest quality, our benefits provide more than Original Medicare alone, and we also offer access to our award-winning Health Care Concierge team," said Eugene Scanzera, Vice President of Medicare for UPMC Health Plan. "UPMC for Life's focus is on making it simple for its members to get the care they need where and when they need it."

UPMC for Life offers four HMO plans, three of which contain pharmacy coverage. That includes its most popular plan, UPMC for Life HMO Rx, which combines brand-name and generic prescription drug coverage in one easy-to-use plan. UPMC for Life also offers a $0 premium HMO plan that has no pharmacy coverage. All HMO plans carry either a $5 or an $8 co-payment for PCP visits.

UPMC for Life offers two PPO plan options, a high deductible plan with pharmacy coverage and an enhanced plan that includes a $1,000 hearing aid allowance that can be used once every three years.

With all of the plans, members receive a vision allowance, discounts for dental services, discounts for hearing services, and Assist America®, which provides help when members travel more than 100 miles from home or to another country.

Medicare annual open enrollment – the one time each year when all Medicare beneficiaries have the opportunity to review their coverage and switch plans for the next year – runs from Oct. 15, 2013, through Dec. 7, 2013. The new coverage year starts on Jan. 1, 2014.

About UPMC Health PlanUPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, an integrated global health enterprise. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to nearly 2.2 million members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.